Shukumei
by Noubunka
Summary: In a different dimension with a changed body, Itachi faces many changes. One comes in the form of an entrancing and temperamental hanyou. Destiny truly works in mysterious ways. Yaoi, Inuyasha/Naruto X-over. Itachi/Inuyasha.


**Title: Shukumei**

**Author: Noubunka**

**Summary: In a different dimension with a changed body, Itachi faces many changes. One comes in the form of an entrancing and temperamental hanyou. Destiny truly works in mysterious ways.**

**Pairings: Itachi/Inuyasha**

**Warnings: Yaoi, crossover. This story does not follow cannon, be it Naruto or Inuyasha. Consider this an AU because it completely disregards certain facts expressed in both manga. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto.**

**Author's note: This is my birthday gift to my friend and mentor, the magnificent Agni whose stories are so compelling and well written that they inspire me. Dear Agni, since you once said to me that you would like to read an Itachi/Inuyasha and a Youko Kurama/Inuyasha, I wrote this for you. I will write a Kurama/Inuyasha story in the future as well but for now, please enjoy this. I know just how much you love Itachi so I hope that this version of him pleases you.**

**Once again, wishing you a very Happy Birthday, Agni. **

_**o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o**_

Itachi sat silently in front of his mentor as he sipped his tea thoughtfully. "Do you know why you are here?" Uchiha Madara asked, not even glancing at his precious student, a student who had helped him diligently in his goals.

The younger Uchiha raised a brow and shrugged, "I do not." He answered simply, sipping his own tea. Such meetings with his mentor were quite common so he was not overly concerned about it.

Madara narrowed his eyes. "The light in your eyes is fading and you will soon be of no use to me, Itachi." The older Uchiha said bluntly. "However, far be it for me to let my legacy fade away like this." He narrowed his eyes as he saw that Itachi seemed unconcerned. "Therefore, I will give you one last gift… in return for your services."

Itachi raised a brow, faintly surprised. He stayed silent, allowing his mentor to continue. "I have told you that Uchiha and Hyuuga, both clans have descended from certain demon tribes." The younger Uchiha nodded, "We have descended from Inu-youkai… not the royal clan but the warrior clan. Our ancestors have always served the Royal Inu-youkai clan diligently."

The younger Uchiha leaned forward in interest, this was the first time he had heard of such a thing. "One of our ancestors turned traitor and the Daiyoukai of that time banished him from the lands. He was pushed into this world through a mythical well and his demonic powers were sealed as he passed through the well." Itachi raised a brow. "Yes, Itachi. Sharingan does not even touch the surface of the true abilities of our race."

Madara took a sip of his tea with a contemplative frown. "I have long possessed the knowledge of the well but I do not wish to utilize it. I am building my own empire in this world and I have no wish to be under the authority of the royal Inu-youkai clan."

Supremely powerful Sharingan eyes landed on Itachi, looking past all barriers straight into Itachi's soul. "Should you pass through the well, the demonic blood in you will be unsealed, your eyesight will return completely. However, the Daiyoukai of the time will sense you. It is up to him if he wishes to take you in as one of his solders or grant you freedom. Remember this; you owe the royal clan your fealty. It is there in your blood and you cannot deny it."

Itachi sat in silence, lost in his thoughts. He was aware that there was nothing left for him. Unless, he took Sasuke's eyes and gained the same permanent Sharingan as Madara to surpass his mentor.

However, as his last battle with his younger brother had proved beyond doubt, such a thing was easier said than done. Sasuke had grown powerful and with the blindness fast approaching, he was in no position to defeat the boy.

"You are the eldest of the two." Madara added. "It is always in the eldest that the demon blood is most potent. Sasuke will never be able to pass through the well."

Itachi nodded, "If this is what you feel is best, sensei."

Madara hummed in agreement before standing and motioning Itachi to follow him.

They walked out of the shrine, heading towards the forest behind it. All the while, Itachi was contemplating his decision. It had been uncharacteristically impulsive of him because he could read between the lines.

Madara did not wish for him to return.

Once he was there, he did not know what kind of situation he would face. He did not know if the Daiyoukai that Madara mentioned, would let him live.

"When you reach the other side, the Daiyoukai would sense you at once. If he is in the vicinity and not busy, he would visit you. If he is not, you must wait where you are. If he senses you moving away from his lands, he would not be pleased." Madara informed and Itachi nodded.

They arrived in front of a plain looking wall. It was unremarkable, even to Sharingan eyes. Madara smirked and knelt to place his hands flat on the ground before the wall.

Slowly the wall sunk into the ground, revealing a secluded area. There was a well there and a tree. Both of them radiated an odd aura that Itachi could not understand.

Madara gestured him to go forward, "If you wish to leave, jump into the well." He narrowed his eyes at his apprentice, "However, if you ever return, Itachi, I will kill you."

Itachi merely glanced at his teacher and nodded.

Madara tossed a bag of gold coins and precious gems at Itachi, "This would help you survive while you find the means to support yourself. Take all your weapons and belongings with you."

Itachi nodded again and Madara disappeared without a trace.

_**.o.o.o.o.o.**_

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, looking at the old seer in front of him.

"I speak no lies, Sesshoumaru-sama." Her voice was wise, filled with amusement as she looked at him with white, eerie eyes. "In the arrogance of your youth, you condemned your true brother to a miserable life."

Pale lips curled into a dangerous scowl, "Izayoi was my mother's reincarnation? Are you certain, Lady Masako?"

"Lady Izayoi did not know of this. Only your father could understand. According to youkai law and demon instincts, Inuyasha-ouji-sama is your _real _brother. Not half-brother." Her amusement increased, a smile dancing on her lips. "Not only have you slighted your father by abusing your otouto, but also your mother. All for a mere sword, which the child needs much more than you do."

"And you did not see it fit to inform me of this before?" He asked dangerously, her claws glowing acidic green in his anger.

She waved her hand elegantly in a dismissive gesture. "It was not my place to tell. I knew that you did not despise your brother as much you pretended to. You simply wished to honor your mother's memory. However, my eyes see through all deceptions, Sesshoumaru-sama. You adore that child, even if you deny it." Her smile was teasing and Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes.

"However," she narrowed her eyes, all humor gone, "I see great pain and death in his near future if you do not take responsibility for his well-being as you should have. A long time ago."

Sesshoumaru's claws hissed with poison, "Otouto is not weak nor does he lack intelligence. He _will _survive; he knows nothing else but that."

She frowned, her eyes gazing steadily into his, "He is still young, Sesshoumaru-sama. He lacks the skills you possess. You must teach him these skills. _You _must help him wield Tetsusaiga's full potential. This is your duty." Her eyes were hard, insistent, "He does not show this, but he craves your approval and affection above all else. Do not tell me that you have not seen the pain in his eyes every time you deny him. It stabs you like a knife every time and you choose to ignore it because you blame him for your father's death."

Sesshoumaru remained silent but his ire had not calmed.

She continued, her eyes glowing with powers unknown, "He will die at his enemies hands. Will you give your precious brother to Naraku as a gift just because you refuse to acknowledge the truth? Will you let Inuyasha die in disgrace and without a shred of his dignity intact? Tortured and humiliated by a creature that is not worthy to walk on the same soil as your brother!"

Sesshoumaru eyes flashed, "What do you mean to imply, Masako-san?"

"I cannot say more than I already have." She said icily, "The fate of Inuyasha lies in your hands yet you refuse to see him for the gift that he is. He would have given you his utmost respect, loyalty and love, he would still do that, and should you give him a chance…"

"What will Naraku do to Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked softly, his voice emerging in the form of a dangerous hiss.

The Seer looked into those red eyes and frowned, the instinct of self-preservation rising within her. There was a limit to how much liberty she enjoyed. Sesshoumaru was still the Daiyoukai and he was her lord.

"I cannot say more than I already have, my lord." She repeated. "I will say this though," she closed her eyes, her lips curling into a frown, "The ningen he protects are his greatest weakness because they in turn cannot protect him as well as he protects them. They are stifling his true nature. They are not his enemies and they are loyal to him but…"

"But they do not understand him, their uncompromising ideals goes against everything that Inuyasha is." Sesshoumaru stated.

She smiled. "There is another who arrives." She said mysteriously, "You, yourself will deem him worthy of protecting your otouto." Her white eyes twinkled, "If, that is, you are willing to share the treasure that you have just discovered."

The Daiyoukai raised his brow at her. "If otouto will really prove to be a treasure, why would I be willing to share him?"

.She smirked, "You are his brother… linked to him by blood and soul. The one who arrives is his mate... linked to him by some bonds equally potent."

He scowled and Masako hid a smirk when she saw a brief flare of protectiveness in those impassive eyes. Her lord was blind when it came to such things. "He is too young to mate."

Masako stifled a giggle, "Alas, this is one aspect of his life you will have to accept, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and stood. "You will warn me if anything else seeks to harm Inuyasha. You will warn me as soon as you know of the danger."

Masako nodded.

Sesshoumaru glanced at her for a moment before vanishing in a blur of pure white. When he was gone, Masako brought her hand to her mouth and choked on a cry.

'_Kami-sama, that boy does not deserve this. Please free Sesshoumaru-sama of his ignorance._'

Xxx

Inuyasha snapped his head towards the forest, his gold eyes narrowing as irritation and some fear flashed through them.

Sesshoumaru was here.

The hanyou tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, looking at his oblivious pack. Sesshoumaru would never sully his hands with their blood. Inuyasha knew this, but he also knew that if Sesshoumaru decided that they were not worthy of living, he would not be able to stop his brother from killing them.

"You guys go ahead." He ordered gruffly, "There is something I need to do." He narrowed his eyes at Miroku, the only person he trusted to do as he asked without question.

He did not bother to wait for Kagome to voice her objections. He ignored her completely when she called out his name in anger. Inuyasha did not care much for her in his current mood, not after the nasty fight they had in the morning.

He traveled with practiced ease through the forest, knowing that he was being suicidal by going to Sesshoumaru. However, he also knew that his older brother could hide his presence from him well and the very fact that Inuyasha had sensed him meant that Sesshoumaru wanted to meet him.

The temperature surrounding him became warmer and he finally stopped in front of a hot spring.

Sesshoumaru was there, his arms crossed, looking straight at Inuyasha. The hanyou tightened his grip on his sword and narrowed his eyes, "What do you want, Sesshoumaru?" He snarled.

His brother looked at him coolly but something in his eyes made Inuyasha pause. Regardless of what Inuyasha told everyone, he knew Sesshoumaru quite well. He could read his brother better than anyone could.

The hanyou relaxed his stance and narrowed his eyes, his silence itself was questioning.

"If I ask, will you stop pursuing your vengeance and stop engaging in battle with Naraku?" Sesshoumaru asked, looking at Inuyasha in the eye.

Inuyasha nearly scoffed at the idea but at the unusual look in Sesshoumaru's eyes, he paused and thought over the question. "I would ask you why you want me to do so first, and if the reason is plausible, I will."

"For you, a threat to your life is not a plausible enough reason." Sesshoumaru commented.

Inuyasha grinned sharply, his eyes glittering calculatingly, "Precisely. Now, why is it that you are suddenly asking such pointless questions? You have not even glanced at Tetsusaiga."

Sesshoumaru remained silent, looking at Inuyasha in contemplation. "Come now aniki, what exactly has you so rattled that you would come to me without any intent to kill?"

Sesshoumaru raised his hand and Inuyasha tensed. The Daiyoukai smirked at the reaction before he gestured towards a flat boulder, "Sit, otouto. We have things to discuss."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, "If you think I am going to let my guard down in your presence, you are mistaken bastard." He hissed. "Tell me what you want to and leave."

The Daiyoukai simply raised a brow and vanished in a blur.

Next thing he knew, Inuyasha was slammed against a tree with Sesshoumaru's elegant fingers wrapped around his neck. The sheer strength of his elder brother overpowered him completely and Inuyasha was rendered helpless, "Bastard…" he hissed.

"You _will_ address me with respect, otouto." Sesshoumaru intoned, "I am your elder, and I will not tolerate any more disrespect from you."

Inuyasha snarled, "Y..you d..don't deser..ve respect!" he choked as the fingers tightened around his neck. He was sure to bruise.

Golden eyes narrowed, "I suppose, I am to blame for how pathetic you have become." The elder commented, observing the gasping hanyou with impassive eyes. "For letting our parents' legacy turn into this street ruffian."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, "What…"

When the Daiyoukai let go of him, Inuyasha fell to the ground, gasping and coughing. Watery amber eyes looked up at the tall, elegant figure of his brother, "Aniki… what's wrong?"

"You will meet me every night and I will train you. You will obey my orders down to a single letter, otouto." He narrowed his eyes, "When I ask you to avoid that despicable hanyou, you will, _without question,_ obey." Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Do you understand, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou stilled, disbelief clearly written on his face because no matter how impassive Sesshoumaru's face was, his eyes held pure protectiveness.

"H… hai aniki…" Large amber eyes looked up at Sesshoumaru, confused, "Will you tell me what is wrong?"

Sesshoumaru looked down at his little brother before a small smirk graced his lips. He leaned down and grasped Inuyasha's chin with his fingers, making him look at him. "You are my treasure; I cannot let some lowly creature destroy you."

"T…treasure? What the Hell?" Sesshoumaru watched with expertly concealed amusement as world tilted on its axis for Inuyasha. For the boy there were few truths in his life, certain facts that would never change, one of those few truths was the fact that Sesshoumaru hated him.

"I visited the seer who has served our clan for more than eight hundred years now." Sesshoumaru began, "She informed me that your mother… Izayoi was the reincarnation of my mother." Inuyasha's eyes widened. "You are not the fruit of my father's betrayal but rather the result of my father's loyalty."

"You are admitting to your mistakes." Inuyasha whispered with awe clear on his face.

The Daiyoukai sat down on the boulder, looking impassive, as always, "I am not some fool blinded by arrogance as I was when I saw your age." Sesshoumaru said, "When you were born, I was barely an adult. When truth stands before me, I cannot help but acknowledge it."

"Kami-sama aniki… she must have said something bad for you to actually acknowledge that you were wrong!" Inuyasha exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Sesshoumaru nodded, observing the young boy sitting in front of him. Why had he not noticed this before? Whenever he spoke to Inuyasha, he seemed to have Inuyasha's complete attention. How could he have missed that concealed affection in his otouto's eyes? How could he have missed the manner in which Inuyasha seemed to look up to him with those wide, eager eyes?

"Sooo…" Inuyasha asked, leaning forward and narrowing his eyes cutely, "Are you gonna tell me?"

Sesshoumaru's lips twitched, "The very first lesson you will be taught is propriety." Then the Daiyoukai tilted his head to the side, sensing something out of place. He instantly narrowed his eyes. "Inuyasha, return to your pack. I will be sending someone to you who will assist you and train you as well."

"What!" Inuyasha jumped to his feet and scowled, "I don't need a guardian! I can survive on my own."

Sesshoumaru leveled Inuyasha with an icy stare, "Inuyasha."

The hanyou scowled and crossed his arms, "I don't need anyone ordering me around all day."

"He will not do that." Sesshoumaru said, "He is there for your protection, not to command you."

"You still haven't told me why you are doing this!" He glared at Sesshoumaru, "You are avoiding my questions and you want me to trust you and accept this sudden change of heart? After all these years of bad blood between us, you suddenly want to be my aniki?"

"I have always been your aniki." Sesshoumaru replied, "Had I not been, you would be dead. I will explain you when I the time is right. None of my actions and decisions will harm you or your pack. You have my word."

Inuyasha's stance immediately relaxed. He trusted his brother's word. Sesshoumaru may have been many things, but he was not dishonorable and he would never break his promise.

The hanyou nodded silently before vanishing in a white blur towards his pack.

The Daiyoukai spread his senses, connecting with his lands before sensing that alien presence. He recognized it instantly.

"Kuro-Inu youkai." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and vanished in a surge of pure energy.

When he reappeared, it was at the bone-eaters well. Sure enough, he could sense the demon there. "Inu-youkai, you clan has served mine for generations. Reveal yourself."

The demon stepped forth from the shadows. His eyes liquid black but Sesshoumaru knew that it was not always the case. The demon's long black hair tied in a ponytail and he had slightly pointed ears. To someone without a trained eye, he would look human.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I am Sesshoumaru, the Daiyoukai of West. You are?"

The demon nodded in return, "Uchiha Itachi."

The Daiyoukai stayed silent, observing the demon before him. He did not completely trust Masako's word but he knew that the person standing before him was very much capable of protecting Inuyasha. His strength was palpable, staining the very air around him. The manner in which he held himself spoke of grace and fluidity in motion that Sesshoumaru had only seen warriors skilled in hand-to-hand combat.

"Will you continue to serve our clan?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes and Sesshoumaru stayed silent, his senses would tell him the truth. "I will assist you if you ask for assistance." Ebony eyes were replaced by the legendry eyes they called Sharingan. "But I am not a servant."

Sesshoumaru tilted his head to the side, considering. "I am looking for a capable warrior to act as a protector to my little brother." The Daiyoukai narrowed his eyes, "Kuro-Inu youkai are our distant relatives. Their status is not that of a servant but of a noble."

Itachi looked to be pondering over the question before he nodded ever so slightly, "If the Lord so wishes," He stated softly, looking into Sesshoumaru's eyes, "I will protect his brother to the best of my ability."

The Daiyoukai nodded, "That is my wish." He stated before he raised his arm, marking the demon in front of him with the scent of his clan, effectively bringing Itachi under his protection and command. The black-haired youkai would not be able to betray him now, "I am placing you in a position of great trust and honor. Under your protection, not even a single hair on my little brother's head must be harmed if it can be prevented. There is a half-demon named Naraku after him, he is powerful and cunning. Be wary."

"I understand Sesshoumaru-sama." Itachi replied, inwardly displeased that he would have to care for a child.

Sesshoumaru nodded, "There are humans traveling along with him and they are considerably weaker. My brother protects them, often foolishly risking his own well-being. I trust you will be able to handle that?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes and nodded.

Sesshoumaru gestured towards Inuyasha's direction, "On foot, he is mere three hours travel from here. He will be difficult. Train him." He waved his hand elegantly and vanished.

Itachi looked at the direction Sesshoumaru had pointed and narrowed his eyes. There was a scent, very faint, similar to the Daiyoukai yet more… more approachable. That had to be the lord's brother.

He melted into the shadows and took off.

Xxx

"Hey mutt-face." Kouga grinned, "Do you really wanna fight and lose in front of Kagome?" He mocked.

Inuyasha growled, he was already in a foul mood ever since his meeting with Sesshoumaru. His brother may have suddenly decided to care for him but that did not make the bastard any less annoying. He sneered at Kouga, his hand dropping to the hilt of his precious sword.

He wondered if he should use the Tetsusaiga. Kouga would always consider him as inferior if he hid behind the sword.

Inuyasha frowned, ignoring the wolf in front of him. A sudden, unpleasant thought struck him. He was relying on Tetsusaiga too much and his sword skills were hardly something to talk about. He was getting rusty.

However, Sesshoumaru was going to train him and he knew, in matters of pure skill in hand-to-hand combat and KenJutsu, there was a select group who could ever match Sesshoumaru's skill. He narrowed his eyes, anticipation running through his veins.

He could not wait.

"Hey mutt! How dare you ignore me?" Kouga yelled.

Inuyasha's eyes snapped towards him, narrowed in annoyance. "Why the hell did you have to come today, you shitty-ookami?" He growled, "Don't you have anything else to do? You want Kagome… take her. She is a right nag!"

Kagome gasped, her eyes widening at Inuyasha's declaration. Miroku hid a smirk behind his fingers and Sango stifled a giggle. Kagome really had been nag in the morning when Inuyasha returned from his mysterious expedition. Moreover, the spats between the two were very entertaining.

The miko was about to _sit_ him but Kouga growled, "Why you! How dare you insult Kagome-chan like that!" He launched himself at Inuyasha, intent on beating the hanyou to the ground.

He didn't get far.

Kouga fell to his knees with a slight whimper, icy blue eyes glaring up at his assailant. Inky black eyes stared down at him emotionlessly, long elegant fingers wrapped brutally around his wrist. The wolf was almost certain that his wrist was broken. "Who the hell are you?" He hissed.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the new demon before sheathing his sword with a sigh. When his pack saw this, they relaxed marginally. "He is not an enemy." Inuyasha said, recognizing Sesshoumaru's scent mark on the demon.

"He was attacking you." The unknown demon answered tonelessly, dropping the hand he had almost crushed. "It was unwise of him to do so."

Kouga hissed and cradled his wrist, "Mutt, who the fuck is this?"

Inuyasha rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh, "This is the result of my brother's new-found protectiveness."

Stunned stares greeted him but Inuyasha focused on the demon standing before him. "Kuro-Inu youkai, Sesshoumaru must be really rattled to send one of his precious solders for my protection. Please do introduce yourself."

Miroku raised a brow at Inuyasha's politeness but he assumed that Inuyasha's could be well mannered if he wanted to. He just chose not to be.

"Uchiha Itachi, ouji-sama." He glanced at the wolf, "Sesshoumaru-sama would not be pleased if I let him live."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, "When is aniki ever pleased? Do not worry about it, he and I have the same enemy. You may call as rivals."

Kagome quickly went to Kouga and felt around his wrist. "This really wasn't necessary." She glared at the black haired demon.

The Uchiha simply raised a brow before he dismissed her as inconsequential and turned to Inuyasha, "Sesshoumaru-sama has commanded me to assist you in your quest and training, ouji-sama."

Inuyasha raised a brow in disbelief, "I find it hard to believe you." He stated in a grumble, "It is more like he doesn't trust me to take care of myself." He huffed slightly in irritation before glancing at the puzzled looks on his friends' faces with a frown. "Look, this guy is an Inu-youkai however, he belongs to one of the warrior clans that are loyal to Sesshoumaru and me… to some extent." He stated with a scowl, "They are excellent fighters and very good protectors and therefore enjoy a very high ranking position in Sesshoumaru's army. That bastard got news from some seer that my life was in extreme danger." He scoffed, "So suddenly, he realizes that he does not want me to croak and sent this guy to protect me."

Kagome frowned in concern, "Inuyasha, he _is _your elder brother." Shaking her head, she looked at him in slight reprimand, "You should listen to him and while you are at it, learn to respect him, please. I know you don't like to admit it but you know he has helped us on many occasions."

"Keh." The hanyou scoffed, "Just because I don't bow down to him like some simpering idiot doesn't mean that I don't respect him."

Kagome laughed softly but shook her head before looking at the newcomer with a slight frown, "Was it really necessary to injure him so much?"

"I saw someone attacking ouji-sama and reacted accordingly." Itachi stated blandly, "I was not aware of the nature of their relationship." He looked down at the wincing wolf with deadly Sharingan eyes, "Even if he is an acquaintance of Inuyasha-sama, he is not permitted to touch him. Next time, I will not be so merciful."

Kagome frowned but understood that the demon was just doing his duty. "Come, we have to take Kouga-kun to Kaede-san."

"I have to speak with Inuyasha-sama. If you will, you may go ahead with your comrades." Itachi said before meeting Inuyasha's eyes.

Inuyasha stilled as he gazed right back into the mysterious man's eyes. He realized that there must have been something special about this particular demon for Sesshoumaru to trust him.

Inuyasha was no fool. He knew that if Sesshoumaru took up a task, he would do it to perfection. Meaning, if Sesshoumaru wants to have him protected, he would only send people he _knew_ would protect Inuyasha the best.

He nodded, "You guys go ahead."

His friends paused for a moment, unsure. They trusted Inuyasha's judgment but they didn't trust Sesshoumaru to suddenly have a change of heart. However, they also knew very little about the relationship Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had. There had to be something more that constant fighting and Inuyasha was not someone who forgave easily.

They nodded and started walking away while Itachi and Inuyasha vanished in the opposite direction.

Itachi glanced at the hanyou with a contemplative look in his eyes. He was older than Itachi had first thought and powerful… extremely powerful. The Uchiha wondered why the Daiyoukai would want someone to protect such an obviously strong being as Inuyasha. The Uchiha shrugged off that thought and focused on the Daiyoukai's request.

The humans were most definitely a problem. They were rather weak. They had chakra but it was unutilized and their bodies were not trained nor were they agile. The woman who had glared at him was strong but she utilized only spiritual energy. That made her considerably less powerful because she was neither fast nor strong enough for that energy to be utilized productively in a real battle.

The other woman who carried a large weapon on her back seemed to have some strength and her body was much more trained than the other two humans were. She would be someone who could look after herself in battle.

The monk was passable skilled from what he could gather but Itachi decided that he would observe them in battle before drawing more concrete analyses.

He glanced at the prince's direction again. Such an oddly beautiful creature. Both siblings were beautiful in a manner in which Itachi had never seen before.

However, he had also stumbled up on an interesting fact. When the wolf had attacked Inuyasha, Itachi had acted instinctively, driven by an intense urge to protect. He had not planned to reveal himself so callously. However, the reaction was so abrupt and forceful that he had no choice.

Moreover, he realized that it would take a while for him to understand his new powers completely. His speed had improved and his vision was sharper than ever. His strength, judging by how little it took to crush the ookami's wrist, was considerably more than what he had before.

He understood why Sesshoumaru was so willing to trust a virtual stranger with his brother's protection. The Daiyoukai must have been aware of those strange instincts that had driven him to protect. The Uchiha frowned slightly, there was more at play here than he recognized.

They stopped at a clearing and Itachi's hands blurred in seals, effectively creating a barrier to maintain the secrecy of their conversation.

He looked up to find keen golden eyes observing him intently, "You are a ninja, Itachi-san?"

"Hn." Itachi nodded before he leaned against a tree in a deceptively relaxed position. "I wish to know as much about our enemy as I can, Inuyasha-sama."

Inuyasha scowled, "Look, I am not Sesshoumaru and I do not like people treating me as such… call me Inuyasha, if you will."

Itachi gave a brief inclination of his head and Inuyasha smirked before launching into a tale about Naraku. The ninja listened intently, analyzing their enemy's character and profile. The hanyou had been surprisingly detailed, pointing out strengths and weaknesses of their enemy with startling accuracy.

Itachi realized that Inuyasha was very experienced when it came to fighting. That did not explain why his Daiyoukai brother thought him weak enough to warrant protection. "Sou ka…" Itachi trailed off, leaning back. "Sesshoumaru-sama is correct; Naraku seems to be planning something on a much bigger scale than before if he has all but disappeared for now. I have encountered similar behavior pattern before."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Aniki knows Naraku almost as well as I do. However, I am uncertain so as to why he is so concerned about me."

Itachi raised a brow; he was not the most appropriate person to speak to about relationships between siblings.

Thankfully, Inuyasha did not seem to intend to do so. "I guess there is nothing I can do about it. If I object, he will pull the rank on me. Although, I am curious about you, aren't you the kind who would not bother with such a trivial mission? Amongst Sesshoumaru's army, the Kuro-Inu are the elite."

"Trivial mission?" Itachi raised a brow, "I do believe that Sesshoumaru-sama does not believe this to be a trivial mission. I quote, '_I am placing you in a position of great trust and honor. Under your protection, not even a single hair on my little brother's head must be harmed if it can be prevented._'"

Inuyasha sat back, stunned. "Well, I'll be damned…"

"You seem surprised."

"Keh!" Inuyasha scoffed and crossed his arms, looking at the pale blue sky with a sigh, "Sesshoumaru and I… we have our differences. He had tried to kill me many times and I have nearly succeeded in killing him a few times… however, we always hold back. We _cannot_ kill each other. Our animosity was against every thing we are, we were battling our natures and instincts to continue fighting each other." Inuyasha ran his hand through his hair, not noticing how Itachi's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Something happened… the seer of our clan told him something… she seems to have foreseen my death and Sesshoumaru… he does not accept it."

Itachi scowled, from what he gathered from Inuyasha's thoughts, instincts played a very important role when it came to demons. If he felt that fierce urge to protect Inuyasha, then it implied that he had some sort of bond with Inuyasha that warranted such a feeling.

Considering the fact that he had never met Inuyasha before, it was puzzling. He had not felt anything but instinctual loyalty towards Sesshoumaru. When Inuyasha explained that the brothers had been enemies before, Itachi had felt anger flood his veins at the very thought of Inuyasha getting hurt.

Most troubling. He had never experienced emotions that were strong enough to dictate his actions. It was interesting to note that his response to Inuyasha was the strongest.

He would have to observe more before he could come to a concrete conclusion. He looked at the hanyou in front of him with impassive eyes, inwardly analyzing his reactions to him.

It was very faint, but Itachi could feel a bond tying them to each other. He narrowed his eyes. This was rather unexpected and his knowledge about such things was frustratingly little. He was unaccustomed to this completely new world. It made him feel quite vulnerable and that did not sit well with him. These instincts, the new powers and the fact that he did not know the ways of this world would hinder him in his mission. He would not be able to effectively protect the prince if he no knowledge of the limits of his own strength.

That would be disastrous because something told him that the loss of Inuyasha to leave him completely undone.


End file.
